Puzzle.



No. 709,888. l Patented sept. 3o, |902. y w. H.- EMEHY.

PuzzLE.

(Appliatlion filed Jan. 25, 1902.) (no model.)l

l 6 Y A gm:

fave/x50?" M550/ways UNITED STATES` PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM II. EMERY, OF AUBURN, MAINE, ASSIGNOR TO PAYSON T. SYKES, OF AUBURN, MAINE.

PUZZLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 709,888, dated September 30, 1902. Application iiled January Z5, 1902. Serial No. 91,244. (No model.)

To all whom t ntay concern.:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. EMERY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Anbnrn, in the county of Androscoggin, State of Maine, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Puzzles, of which the following is a specification.

The purpose of this invention is to provide a puzzle device of simple construction which is very easily operated when understood, but which is very difficult of operation until explained.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure lis a longitudinal central sectional'view through the parts composing the puzzle. Figs. 2 and 3 are views showing the outer tubular body in central'section and the plug or plunger in different positions, and Fig. 4 is a similar view showing a tubular body of different design and a stop upon the plug for limiting the movement of the latter.

Referring to Figs. 1,2, and 3, l indicates the body of the device, which in said figures has the outward design of a bottle. A cylindrical opening 2 is formed in the body portion extending inwardly from the mouth of the bottle, this opening being adapted to receive a plug or plunger 3. The base 4 ofthe opening forms a stop which limits the inward movement of the plunger. An annular groove 5 is formed in the wall of the opening, and an annular recess 6, considerably wider than the groove 5, is formed on the plunger. Heads 7 and 8 are thus formed on the plunger at either side of the annular recess, and the latter is so located upon the plunger that when theplunger rest-s upon the base 4 the outer end of the recess will be opposite the groove 5. YA pocket Sa. extends outwardly in the body of the plunger from the recess 6 at the juncture of the latter with' the head 7, said pocket being most conveniently formed by boring diagonally into the plunger at the base of the head, as shown in the drawings. It will be observed that when the plunger rests upon the base 4 as shown in Fig. l, the mouth of the pocket will be opposite the groove 5. This pocket is adapted to receive a ball or sphere 9, which has a diameter greater than the depth of the groove the ball is such that the reduced portion l() of the plunger may be moved freely past the ball when latter is Within the groove. It will be evident, however, that as the diameter of the ball is greater than the groove it will project partly into the cylindrical opening 2 and lock against the head S when the plunger is moved outward.

In operation the plunger 3 before being inserted in the cylindrical opening 2 is inverted and the ball 9 is dropped into the pocket 8. While the plug is still inverted it is inserted into `the tubular body portion, and the parts thus placed together are turned int-o the upright position, as shown in Fig. l. The ball then rolls from the pocket into the groove 5, as shown in said figure. IE the plunger be then drawn outwardly, it will be seen that the head S will strike against the ball, as shown in Fig. 2, and the latter will Yprevent the removal of the plunger. The plunger cannot then be withdrawn except in one particular `position of the parts. In Fig. 3, forinstance,wherein the device is shown in the inverted position, the ball is at one side of the mouth of the pocket, and the plunger cannot therefore be removed until the ball is brought opposite the pocket, when it will drop into the pocket from the groove. This removal of the plunger can be readily eected by inverting the device, as shown in Fig. 3, and permitting the body portion to rest with the base 4 upon the end of the plunger. The mouth of the pocket will then be in line with the end of the groove, and by rotating the body portion the ball may be rolled around until it comes opposite and falls into the pocket.

The outward design of the device may take any suitable form-as, for instance, the bottle shown in Figs. l to 3, inclusive, wherein the end of Y-the plunger takes the place of a stopper, or the cigar-shaped construction shown in Fig. 4, wherein the outer end of the plunger, which serves as a stop for the latter, may be made to resemble the ash upon a cigar. In Fig. 4 aside from the outward design the parts are the same as in the other figures, except that the stop in this instance is placed upon the plunger. In this figure the head S does not come in contact with the base 4 of 5 or that of the recesse; but the-diameter of the opening; but the inward movementof the plunger is limited by the stop et upon the end of the plunger. This stop abutting against the end 11 of the body portion stops the inward movement of the plunger when the mouth of the pocket is opposite the groove 5. By arranging the stop so that the pocket will be opposite the groove when the plunger is at its inmost position no difficulty is encountered in bringing the ball in the position to drop into the pocket when the parts are inverted, as shown Fig.

While the pocket is preferably inclined outwardly and arranged in the outer head, it will be evident that it may be otherwise located, with the mouth of the pocket at the annular recess, and it may be inclined in the opposite direction or extend radially into .the body of the plunger. I therefore do not Wish to limit myself to the exact arrangement of the pocket shown.

Having thus fullydescribed my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. In a puzzle, a body portion having a cylindrical opening and an annular groove inl the wall of said opening in combination with a plunger tting within the opening, said plunger having an annular recess opposite to and wider than the groove in the cylinder and having an inclined pocket extending from said recess into the plunger, and a ball of greater diameter than the depth of said groove or recess adapted to tit into said pocket.

2. In a puzzle, a body portion having a eylindrical opening and an annular groove in the wall of said opening in combination with a plunger fitting within the opening, said plunger having an annular recess opposite to and wider than the groove in the cylinder and having a pocket extending from said recess into the plunger, a ball of greater diameter than the depth of said groove or recess adapted to [it into said pocket, and a stop for said plunger arranged to hold the latter with the pocket opposite the groove when the plunger is in its inmost position.

3. In a puzzle,a body portion having a cylindrical opening and an annular groove in the wall of said opening, in combination with a plunger fitting within the opening, said plunger having two heads and an annular recess between said heads, and having a pocket extending into the plunger at the base of one of said heads, and a ball of greater diameter than the depth of said groove or recess adapted to t int'o said pocket.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM I-I. EMERY.

Witnesses:

JOHN L. READE, PAYsoN T. SYKES. 

